Drought challenges
fruit industry
Elise-Marie Steenkamp
HORTGRO
W
estern Cape fruit farmers and
rural communities are under
tremendous socio-economic
pressure due to the crippling
drought, according to the deciduous fruit
industry organisation, Hortgro. Hortgro
is concerned about the unfounded and
irresponsible statements made by politicians
and uninformed social media users about
agriculture and water-use. Agriculture in
general, specifically the fruit industry, has
made great progress with the efficient use of
water-saving technologies.
Hortgro’s Trade and Markets Manager,
Jacques du Preez, said in a statement that the
current season is a real challenge. “Harvest
prospects are not rosy, showing several
decreases in crop volumes that will put the
export and local market under pressure. The
latest crop estimates for mid to late plums,
late nectarines, apples and pears are lower
than last year. The figures do not tell the full
story. We are amid a drought cycle, so when
the full potential of the industry is taken into
account, harvest estimates are in some cases
down by 25%.”
Early stone fruit has benefited from the
sporadic rainfall in October and November
therefore many producers were slightly better
off than what was initially expected. This
advantage is now a thing of the past. The real
challenge of water availability and fruit growth
is expected during the summer and autumn
period, when the largest volumes of fruit are
ready for harvesting.
According to Du Preez most of the Western
Cape’s rural areas depend economically
AgriKultuur |AgriCulture
on the agricultural industry. The cutting off
of the water supply to farmers may have a
devastating socio-economic impact on the
province.
He points out that there are more than 308
000 workers and their dependents on farms in
the fruit industry – without considering all the
other employment opportunities throughout
the value chain. The biggest impact is on
seasonal workers with an estimated 22 000
jobs that are affected. Several farmers practice
‘mixed farming’. They grow a permanent fruit
crop as well as annual vegetable crops. Due
to water limitation these producers have not
planted annual crops this season, opting to
save water for their permanent crops which
had further implications for job creation and
affected producers’ income. Unemployment
leads to urbanization, which puts further
pressure on urban resources, says Du Preez.
The impact of the drought differs dramatically
between regions and even between
neighbouring farms. It is difficult to sketch a
uniform picture of the fruit industry. “Some
producers had the infrastructure and capacity
to apply good drought strategies, but others -
especially those dependent on national water
schemes - are under enormous pressure.”
Apart from the drought other extreme
weather like hail, windstorms and severe
sunburn has further pounded the fruit
industry this season. Under severe drought
stress, the flowering of trees (which for the
c oming season is already happening in the
current season) is weaker and the flowers are
also of poor quality with few cells and a short
lifespan.
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